I'm having major problems! I'm the Wizard of Oz in our School Production. Its only 2 -4 weeks away and I just CAN'T learn my lines. :mad: I've been reading through them for 4 months and have tried so hard to learn them but I just can't get them to stick in my head no matter how hard I try! :mad:

Its embarassing because I've tried so hard and I have nothing to show! :o Whats worse is, all the other main parts KNOW their lines but they've had big part experience and this is my first and probably only main role. I envy them so much. :mad:

I feel like I'm going to let the production down with my forgetfulness but I've just had so much on lately.

Does anyone have any tips on how I can learn my lines easier and get them to stick? Anything and any help would be appreciated and I know what a talkative lot we are. ;)

Please guys and gals! I really need help!

*starts begging*

:hug:

Thanks!

jagged halo

18-11-09, 20:10

You need to focus on 1 section of lines at a time. For example, look at your lines on 1 particular page then try learning them. There are different ways of learning lines but I would always look at the line that came before so that I first knew my queue. Then keep saying the line over and over until you get it.

Plus, is there anyone that can help you? They could give you your queues and then you would say your lines.

I wish you luck and maybe someone else can explain my theory better or come up with some more advice, because I sometimes can't word things the way I want :p

xXhayleyroxXx

18-11-09, 20:14

^^^ This.

I should know, i do performing arts and i did the same play :)

remember the chronological order too, that helps

and go over and over it

Dingaling

18-11-09, 20:15

Could you try acting out your lines as if the other characters are there? Some kineticness to your learning might help.

Or do what I do sometimes... learn what you need by song.

Amenophis

18-11-09, 20:15

Always remember that you don't have to read the exact line, you can read a similiar one too.

So if you know what too say but not in the exact order as the it was written say something similiar. Remeber that your supose to speak out the lines not read them out.

Mystery-King

18-11-09, 20:17

^^^ This.

I should know, i do performing arts and i did the same play :)

remember the chronological order too, that helps

and go over and over it

My mum says she'll help ubt she keeps forgetting... bless her. :hug:

I keep asking my drama teacher and she keeps saying just elarn them. with asolutely know direction as to help me.

Oh, we're doing The Wiz and not the usual The Wizard of Oz. (And apparently they say I'm absolutely fantastic at my songs considering I kept telling them I couldn't sing because I've been put down so much about it before. My music teachers AWESOME <3)

@ Amen - Loved it when you said speak the lines not read them. That really does sum it up!

xXhayleyroxXx

18-11-09, 20:30

My mum says she'll help ubt she keeps forgetting... bless her. :hug:

I keep asking my drama teacher and she keeps saying just elarn them. with asolutely know direction as to help me.

Oh, we're doing The Wiz and not the usual The Wizard of Oz. (And apparently they say I'm absolutely fantastic at my songs considering I kept telling them I couldn't sing because I've been put down so much about it before. My music teachers AWESOME <3)

@ Amen - Loved it when you said speak the lines not read them. That really does sum it up!

thats what i did :) yeh im good at songs but my weaknesses is dance - everyone has weaknesses so dont worry :hug:

once i had to learn a 9 page speech :cln: so you can do it hun - id had no experience

get your mum to hold the script and reel off as muchas you can - you'd be surprised how much you know!

'he's the wiz, he's the wizard of oz, he's got magic up his sleeve, and you know without his help it would be impossible to leave. All of the super power's his, listen and I'll tell you where he is. He's the wizzzzz and he livessss in oz' haha sorry i remember all the songs xx

jagged halo

18-11-09, 20:58

God, I had to do the Wiz as well... actually, I did it voluntarily but it ended up being quite crap (IMO). Hope yours goes well, though, lol!

Your drama teacher doesn't sound very good if all she can say is, "Learn them."

Mystery-King

18-11-09, 21:29

God, I had to do the Wiz as well... actually, I did it voluntarily but it ended up being quite crap (IMO). Hope yours goes well, though, lol!

Your drama teacher doesn't sound very good if all she can say is, "Learn them."

Don't get me wrong, shes one of the most dedicated drama teachers ever and you really have to applaud her for her passion. :D She has a lot on her plate too regarding the script and forgetting that Y'all got it is a cast number and other issues! Still, I wouldn't have any other drama teacher she is the best, but when I ask for advice she is just like 'Learn them' :confused:

@ Hayley - OMG I know that song. This girl is singing it in the production and her voice really was MADE for that song. She sounds perfect! :)

Noodleboy

18-11-09, 21:38

God, I had to do the Wiz as well... actually, I did it voluntarily but it ended up being quite crap (IMO). Hope yours goes well, though, lol!

Your drama teacher doesn't sound very good if all she can say is, "Learn them."

That's what our director tells us to do too. He doesn't say how, but he just tells us to do it.

I actually learned my lines for the upcoming play by playing with my script every week untill I knew my lines by heart. But since you have only 4 weeks left, it's a crappy piece of advice :o

xXhayleyroxXx

18-11-09, 21:39

aww im glad to hear that:hug:

who did you get cast as?

haha i have 'ease on down the road' in my head now

violentblossom

18-11-09, 21:44

You need to focus on 1 section of lines at a time. For example, look at your lines on 1 particular page then try learning them. There are different ways of learning lines but I would always look at the line that came before so that I first knew my queue. Then keep saying the line over and over until you get it.

Plus, is there anyone that can help you? They could give you your queues and then you would say your lines.

I wish you luck and maybe someone else can explain my theory better or come up with some more advice, because I sometimes can't word things the way I want :p

^This. :tmb: I was in an advanced theatre class and before that took regular theatre classes for year, and this method is always what worked best for me.

HappyShannon

18-11-09, 21:52

Everyone elses ideas are much better, but I, being really wierd, learn them in an awkward way :D

I learn song lyrics easily but lines harder (I dunno why XD), so I sometimes imagine they're song lyrics instead of lines and put random music in the background. And then when I perform, I remember them.

Try everyone else's ideas first though, but, erm... Like I said, I'm awkward, it's probably just 'cause I like music XD

Good luck! :o I hope you can learn them :)

Changeling

18-11-09, 21:57

Myself being a method actor, my advice to you is to read over the scenes as many times as you need to really make you feel there in the moment. Understand what's going on: don't just ignore everything and wait for your cue lines. See what's in the scene, see who's there with you, react to other characters, get into your character's mind - you're not playing this character, you're becoming this character. Do a Character Card for yourself - ask yourself questions. What is your character's name? What do they look like? How do they act? How do they feel in this scene? How do they react to other people/things in this scene? And so on. Even things if you're singing - don't just think you're singing for the sake of it. The whole reason for songs in a musical is that the character is so overwhelmed with emotion that they cannot simply say how they feel in words. Ask yourself how you feel. Why are you singing? How are you feeling at this very moment? Every second is a picture - you have to seize every moment of your character. One of the things I love about theatre is, for myself anyway, the preparation into becoming a different person - and for me personally, when I leave the stage, I feel like I'm still that character and that I'm not myself.

These are the things I use to learn lines, but not everyone is a method actor. Before I discovered method acting I could just remember lines by going over the scenes so many times in rehearsals until they stuck in my head, but for you that wouldn't be good advice it seems. :p

Rivendell

18-11-09, 21:59

Think of them as lyrics. Record yourself performing them, and listen to it a LOT. Soon they will stick in your head like the lines of a song, and you can learn them a lot easier, because you start to know them. :tmb: It does work.

jackles

18-11-09, 22:00

I would also suggest finding out what your learning style is. If auditory tape your self saying the lines and listen to them.

Visual? well reading and writing them can help.

Kinasthetic? act them out.

Rai

18-11-09, 23:13

^ I've recorded my lines before and, as I don't have anyone to help me I will record my cue lines and pause the tape to say my lines.

I also find that going through the motions, at least as much as possible in you own space can help. If you know your moves, it can help with associating the move to the lines.

ajrich17901

18-11-09, 23:30

From my experiece with voice acting,

Id say practice one section at a time, have someone sit down with ya to read for the other part. Make some flash cards, they usualy help to get anything stuck in your head. If worst comes to worst just keep re-reading everything. But if you feel you can't get everything down and if there is an understudy for your role hand them the part. < Save that as a last resort type of deal though. Keep practicing and you should be fine.

Dennis's Mom

19-11-09, 13:17

Repetition helps. Read them aloud frequently, concentrating on the feel of them in your mouth.

If no one is available to cue you, I used to use this trick. Cover the script with a piece of paper and slide it down line by line. You can see the other characters' lines, but not your own, then you can cue yourself if you need to.

OK, I'm ploughing through them and am trying HARD to learn them. I'm getting the words and prompt lines and I know single words but can't form them into the right words / sentences. I've been told unless I know them all WORD PERFECT by the weekend, they're cutting sections of me out. And I really don't want to! I want the most stage time possible. :D

xXhayleyroxXx

25-11-09, 19:05

theres no doubt youre trying very hard!
maybe get your mum to use the script and give yu the first two words of a sentance and see if you can get them all on one page - if you can do it without your mum :)

Mystery-King

25-11-09, 19:32

AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! I just went through them with my mum... :D And I only got confuzzled on little bits twice! I know my words!!! :yah:

I asked to do my scenes tomorrow in rehersals, cos I'm gonna prove I now know the words! :D Unlike some other of the members... :pi:

xXhayleyroxXx

25-11-09, 19:47

AAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!! I just went through them with my mum... :D And I only got confuzzled on little bits twice! I know my words!!! :yah:

I asked to do my scenes tomorrow in rehersals, cos I'm gonna prove I now know the words! :D Unlike some other of the members... :pi:
omg im so happy for you! i knew you could do it :hug:

That was it... my final performance. :( I gave it my all and really did my best. :( The curtains closed and I couldn't hold it in. I cried and cried and just couldn't stop. My teachers gave me the opportunity of a lifetime and they made me believe that I can BE something and I can never thank them enough. God Bless Them. x x Thank you for the memories...